Oxford United v Manchester City (EFL Cup 2019-20)
| next = }} Oxford United v Manchester City was a match which took place at the Kassam Stadium on Wednesday 18 December 2019. Holders Manchester City progressed to the Carabao Cup semi-finals with victory at Oxford United - as Arsenal managerial target Mikel Arteta took his place on the visitors' bench alongside boss Pep Guardiola. City are still awaiting formal contact from Arsenal regarding assistant manager Arteta - and if this is to be his last game at City, he went out on a winning note. Oxford, who lost at home to City in the third round of this competition last season, did themselves great credit, forcing keeper Claudio Bravo into a succession of second-half saves. The League One side responded to Joao Cancelo's deflected first-half goal by drawing level less than a minute after the interval through Matty Taylor's weaving run and finish. In the end, however, City's class told and Raheem Sterling struck twice from close range to settle any nerves and secure the holders' place in the last four. Manchester City take on local rivals Manchester United in the semi-finals, while Leicester City face Aston Villa in the other all-Premier League tie. All eyes were on Arteta as soon as Manchester City's team bus pulled up in driving wind and rain outside Oxford's Kassam Stadium. Arteta's presence was very obvious evidence that his expected move into management at Arsenal had not moved towards completion and he was still in his familiar place at Guardiola's side. City's hierarchy, however, are both puzzled and furious that they have not been contacted by their Arsenal counterparts to get what should be a straightforward deal done. Arsenal officials were pictured leaving Arteta's house in the early hours of Monday but contact between the clubs will still have to be made because they have to agree a seven-figure compensation fee. On the pitch, a reshuffled City eventually had too much for Oxford but they did not have it all their own way - and the scoreline actually flattered the visitors. Oxford United manager Karl Robinson believes matches like this present an opportunity to further re-connect the club to its support and the city. This process has been strengthened by form which has taken Oxford to the edge of the League One play-off zone and this run to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, which included a 4-0 thrashing of Premier League West Ham United. Robinson's mission will have gathered pace with this performance as Oxford genuinely made life difficult for the holders and Premier League champions, not by trying to knock City out of their stride physically but by playing their own game. Inevitably, the gulf in class was decisive but the fact that Guardiola introduced Ilkay Gundogan and Gabriel Jesus as Oxford applied pressure was a tribute to the home side's display. Oxford's performance was better than the somewhat timid effort in last season's 3-0 EFL Cup loss here and they were just starting to believe when Sterling stepped up to snuff out their hopes of a shock. They had 18 shots in total - the most City have faced in any single match under Guardiola. Robinson's side can return to their promotion pursuit - and a League One home meeting with leaders Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday - with their heads held high. Match Details |goals2 = Cancelo Sterling |stadium = Kassam Stadium, Oxford |attendance = 11,817 |referee = Andy Madley }} |valign="top"| |valign="top" width="50%"| |} Match Stats Match Stats= {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- !width=130|Overall !width=70|Oxford United !width=70|Manchester City |- !scope=row|Goals scored |1||3 |- !scope=row|Total shots |18||18 |- !scope=row|Shots on target |5||4 |- !scope=row|Ball possession |34%||66% |- !scope=row|Corner kicks |6||6 |- !scope=row|Fouls committed |11||11 See also *EFL Cup 2019-20 External links * Match report at BBC.co.uk Category:2019-20 Match Day info Category:Oxford United F.C. matches Category:Manchester City F.C. matches